PHOENIX — He went unnoticed for many years until the ABC15 Investigators revealed his alleged sexual crimes last year.
An 82-year-old unlicensed masseur known as the ‘Sobador’ of Maryvale was being accused of sexually assaulting his clients, mainly Latinas whose language was primarily Spanish.
Now finally, more than a dozen alleged victims will see a glimpse of justice.
“Today, something just told me to look up his name again and once I did it, a flyer from Silent Witness with his name on it was the first thing to come up. I feel relieved,” said Stephanie Trujillo, the first alleged victim to come forward to Phoenix police last year.
The ABC15 investigators started following this case in May of last year, but Phoenix police wouldn’t confirm the suspect’s name or provide us with his picture for our reporting. Vital information for the public’s safety.
For context, Sobadores are known in the Latino culture for performing massages and other healing techniques, usually acquired from generation to generation.
Who’s the ‘Sobador’ wanted by Silent Witness?
According to Silent Witness’ website, his name is Alejandro Castellanos Tovar, an 82-year-old man wanted for sexual assault.
Last May at least five women went to police saying he sexually assaulted them during a massage therapy. The five women named Alejandro Tovar in their police reports, and even provided the same address where the alleged attacks happened, but somehow those reports fell through the cracks.
After our first story aired last June, at least eleven more women came forward to us with similar accusations, one from as far back as 2008.
In August, Tovar's family told us he had left the country, to Africa. Records show his home was sold in July.
Tovar was never interviewed by police, now a year later, Silent Witness is offering a reward of $1,000 dollars for information on his whereabouts.
